Unlike most other syndicated or network daytime fare, the program, based on a UK show, will air live for two hours: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The show comes from London-based Shine Ltd., founded by company CEO Elisabeth Murdoch, the daughter of Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp., which owns Fox. The show will be distributed by Twentieth Television.
A Twentieth spokesman says the decision to go ad-free was made due to the nature of the live-game program. "It would break the flow of the show," he says. Twentieth says the show will make money from a combination of product placement, branded text integration and other non-traditional advertising and sponsorship.
For the future, Twentieth is determining how the show will be rolled out to other markets--either as a first-run syndicated show or as part of the new MyNetworkTV, which launches with prime-time programming Sept. 5.
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